Branded Together
by Aojiroi Emura
Summary: FF XIII AU Hope's terrified of being branded a L'cie and his time is running short. In an attempt to face his fate alone he sneaks off only to have Vanille meet him halfway. (Pre-Alexander Fight; What if Vanille was the one to help him and not the gang all together? Ignore the scene in XIII where Hope made up with his dad too; Semi-Vanihopu)


**Author's Note:** This is a drabble written for Vanihopu Day held on March 27, 2014. Please enjoy.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything! The characters and the world all belong to their respective owners.

"Hope!" Vanille called out as she came running up the Northern Antrepass behind him. Her voice rang out to him in the ravine and as he heard her steps growing closer he came to a dead stop. He'd only just begun to leave camp, and yet she knew.

She knew. He was running. To Hope he wasn't just running from his _'new'_ family, but his fate as a L'cie. To be honest he knew none of them chose to be one. No one in their right mind would ever pick such a fate. However that didn't change the fact that he was scared. Scared to head to Eden and take on his fate – friends or no friends. But that wasn't all. He was tired of all the battles and all the man-hunts for them. Tired of running and tired of struggling. He missed his carefree life of the past, the warm reassuring voice of his mother… he even missed his dad!

Looking down at his wrapped brand uneasy – his eyes counted the arrows appearing. 'Probably not much longer now…_T-this is for the best_. If I don't leave then they might…' he trailed off to himself trembling a little before he shook his head and turned back to face her.

"I-I'll only be slowing you all down!" he shouted out as he shot her a glare to stay back. Hearing his words were enough though. She stopped a short distance away as her mouth fell open at his words and the panicked look in his eyes. She was worried, really worried. She knew all too well what fear could do to a L'cie let alone all the trauma he'd gone through since their journey began in the Purge. Adding it all up, she knew it wouldn't be long now. If she didn't do something Hope would be lost…

Taking in his words she kept her eyes on him as she took a cautious step closer. "W-what are you saying?"

"J-just leave me." It was a simple answer one she had expected him to say, but as his words fell out she still found herself shaking her head in defiance.

"I-it's for the best," he mumbled out his eyes softening as he avoided her gaze. But his words fell on deft hears. Nothing he could say could turn her away – not now. Not after everything they'd managed to survive. She wasn't leaving Pulse without him – whether he liked it or not.

"Just go back now," he finished as he turned away and began to walk away. Shaking her head she lunged forward, her feet practically moving on their own as they reached him.

"Hope! No!" Vanille cried out to him as she reached out and took hold of his branded hand as tightly as she could. "On Pulse we're family. We stick together!"

"No! We can't. Don't you see that!?" he practically wailed as he tried to rip his hand away from her as his yellow wrap fell from his wrist during the struggle reveling the arrows.

Her concern for him was getting the best of her as she too found herself trembling as she looked at his mark. It was worse than she thought. Even still she tried, tired her best to calm down so she could say what she needed.

With her free hand, she pulled forward and wrapped him up in her arms just like she'd done in the Purge. She could feel his body shaking against her as he tried to pull away. Refusing to give away she tightened her embrace and told him, "E-everything will work out just fine! You'll see. I promise! Everything will be alright."

"You don't know that!" she heard him call out in her ear as he still tried to push himself away – however he didn't need to. For as soon as the words left his mouth his brand shown with a brilliant green as a powerful wind tossed the Pulsian girl backwards into the bushes of the ravine with a yelp.

Scared and alone, Hope looked up as his fate appeared before him. "So…this is it?"

Looking down waiting for his death, Vanille suddenly came running up beside him her binding rod out and ready to strike as she shot him a glance, "You're wrong! It's not. This isn't it, Hope!"

Her voice rang out calling his attention away from the beast in their midst. "Look…I know," she began to say as she loosened her grip on her rod as she looked at him. "I know that what we're doing now seems pointless… But running away it won't solve anything!"

Hearing that Hope let out a breath he'd been holding as he kept his eyes on her and away from the beast appearing in the cloud of green lights circling the walls of the ravine. His heart beat rapidly in his chest as he locked eyes with her.

"Serah… she told me that. She told me that because she had her friends she'd get through it! So…You. You have to stay with us, Hope. Please! You can't leave us. You can't leave me!"

"Vanille…" He mumbled out as he reached for his boomerang just as the giant Alexander descended.

**- END- **


End file.
